The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation mourns the loss of Wolfgang Rihm
29.7.2024
The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation mourns the loss of Wolfgang Rihm. In Wolfgang Rihm, the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation has lost a long-standing and important member of its Board of Trustees. An outstanding personality in contemporary music, he had a lasting influence on the foundation’s fortunes and face for a quarter of a century.
He was a unifying force for the entire field of contemporary music and especially for the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. We owe him infinitely much. We will all sorely miss his thoughtful and outgoing nature, his boundless fund of knowledge, his curiosity and, last but not least, his incomparable sense of humour!
“During the decades of his membership of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Wolfgang Rihm has always championed young composers’ causes. His most important mission was to support them and help them on their career paths. Wolfgang’s personality, his enormous knowledge and his conciliatory nature have shaped the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, and I will never forget his wonderful musical friendship and his advice.” – Dr Thomas Angyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
In Wolfgang Rihm, the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation has lost not only a deserving Ernst von Siemens Music Prize winner, but also one of its most important voices. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Rihm shaped the face of the foundation for decades. His suggestions, contributions to discussions and his always constructive criticism were often decisive. Without Wolfgang Rihm, the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation would certainly not be what it is today. Until the very end, he set the tone in discussions and helped to shape the future of the foundation and thus probably also the future of contemporary music. His foresight, his incredible knowledge, his irresistible humour, his openness and his generosity will remain unforgotten. And of course his music. Wolfgang Rihm will be irreplaceable. We mourn the loss of one of the most important composers of our time.” – Björn Gottstein, Secretary of the Board of Trustees